API survivors of domestic violence often need intensive support and advocacy before they consider shelters as an option. Without advocacy and ongoing cultural and linguistic support, many API women and children are unprepared to enter mainstream shelters and are isolated once they are admitted to
shelter. Many API women leave or do not access shelters
Those survivors housed in shelters often echo feelings of isolation and helplessness. On a practical level, clients feel alone because no one speaks their language or understands that they can only eat a particular kind of food. They cannot communicate their needs to shelter staff. Having their legal needs met adds another challenging layer. Clients have expressed that having someone who is from their community and speaks their language makes them feel more confident and secure when they have to apply at Social Services, meet with their attorney, go to medical appointments, or deal with the criminal justice system.
In addition to DVLAP, we will also launch the Mobile Advocate Project, in collaboration with two East Bay domestic violence agencies, Narika, which serves the South Asian communities and Shimtah, the Korean community. Through the Mobile Advocate Program, both agencies will provide community-based helpline and non-shelter advocacy services. Mobile advocates will travel to shelters to provide dedicated staff time to ongoing case management, coordination of shelter and community-based services, continued support and advocacy in partnership with shelter staff. Mobile Advocates will be able to offer support to survivors before they are in shelter, from her first call, helping her access shelter services and other intervention services. This will expand the capacity of the shelters to provide services to API survivors.
Through the collaborative efforts of the Coalition there will be access to Language Advocates, Mobile Advocates and legal services to provide language and cultural accessibility to API domestic violence survivors. This is an opportunity to provide a full range of services, which will make a long-term impact in changing lives. API Legal Outreach recognizes the California Endowment for their visionary support of the Coalition.
Domestic Violence Immigration Pro Bono Panel
Without the legal representation of pro bono attorneys, many battered immigrant women and children would be forced to remain in abuse relationships as a result of the batterers’ control over their immigration status. In this past year, we have provided training and seminars to dozens of attorneys willing to take on these cases to help survivors gain legal immigration and work authorization. We gratefully acknowledge the time and dedication of the following individuals:
Krista Kim, Reed Smith
Adrian Davis, Latham and Watkins
Adrienne Leder, Latham and Watkins
Christine Hoang
Elissa Germaine, Latham and Watkins
Ellen Uy, Pillsbury Winthrop
Erica Grossman, Latham and Watkins
Jeannie Lee, Latham and Watkins
Maureen Alger, Cooley Godward
Rufus Pichler, Morrison and Foerstwer
Sadik Huseny, Latham and Watkins
Cindy Hwang, Kirkland & Ellis
Mitzi Chang, Latham and Watkins
Cheng-Ling Chen, Latham and Watkins
Ned Mathes, Latham and Watkins
Gloria Lee, Morrison Foerster
Risha Jamieson, Latham and Watkins
